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Getting Back into Exercising or Running After A Downtime

It can be hard trying to get back on track after you have “fallen off a wagon”. I have started really well this year with my fitness goals and even got to a point of walking everyday (brisk walking 5mph). But things went downhill starting a few months ago when my Dad got sick and I had no time to focus on myself.

It is now time to focus on myself again and get back on track though.
I have 2.5 months left of this year.
I will spend it making steps towards my goals. And this is where my fitness mini-goals start.

Here are some tips I have read online. I was browsing www.crownsecurityproducts.com when I decided to look for inspiration on how to get back into shape again.

These might help you too *the following are not my tips*:

Start slowly. If you haven’t run for some time, your mind may remember how to run long distances, but your body might not be ready for tough work yet.

Schedule rest days. Following the start slowly notes, make sure you have a rest day between runs. Your body needs time to recover and grow stronger. Exercise stimulates the body to grow stronger. Rest days are when that growth actually happens. Remember too that rest does not mean lounging on the couch watching reruns and munching on bad food. Active rest such as walking, hiking or some other activity is best.

Incorporate walk breaks. Beginning running for fitness is best accomplished by a mixture of running and walking. Starting off with very short runs (1-4 minutes) alternated with 1 minute walks repeated for 20-30 minutes will have you back to more regular running in short order.

Do some cross-training. Cross training is defined as training in different ways to improve overall performance. From the runners perspective, it could mean cycling, weight training, swimming or another activity that is physically challenging but doesn’t use the same muscles in the same way that running does. Adding cross training to your fitness program will give you better results more quickly than running alone.

Add healthy foods to your diet. If getting out of shape also included adding unhealthy foods to your diet, pick a snack or meal every day to make healthier food choices. Even if you don’t completely re-vamp your diet, several healthier food choices every day will go a long way to improving your fitness level.

And finally, give yourself some time. If you’ve taken weeks or months off from your healthy lifestyle in order to get out of shape, give yourself enough time to get back into shape. It could take you 6-10 weeks or longer to get back into great physical shape. Don’t expect results in just a handful of workouts.